“Penny, it’s okay, you’re okay, it was a bad dream.”
I knew right away it was Tag, and opening my eyes, I saw I was in my room, and he was the one holding me. I relaxed into his hold right away and gulped down my tears. My heart was racing so fast, I was convinced it would explode, unable to keep up.
Tag’s hand was rubbing up and down my back, and it was succeeding in helping me to calm down. I took some deep breaths and stayed still, pushing the memory of Rico away the best I could. Just the thought of him sent chills down my spine, making me want to throw up.
“Tag?” I croaked.
His chin was resting on the top of my head. “Yeah?”
“How long was I asleep?”
He didn’t say anything for a minute. I felt him move his arm to look at his watch. “Fifteen hours.”
It didn’t seem like nearly enough. My head was groggy, and my face was hurting so bad, it felt like it was on fire. “I need some pain killers,” was all I told him.
He moved away and came back with the glass of water, the pills, and a few crackers.
“You need to have something on your stomach,” he said.
I ate two crackers, then took the pills. Moving my fingertips to my cheek, I winced when I touched my face. “How bad do I look?” I asked him.
He winced at my question, and that was all I needed to know.
“That bad, huh?”
He sat back down next to me on my bed. “You could never look bad, Penny, but you definitely have some wounds that need to heal. The bastard really did a number on you.”
His eyes were blazing with anger. I wondered right then if he had found out where Rico was, but I wasn’t sure I was up to asking. The fact that he just told me he’d done a number on me was more than I could take, even thought it was true in more ways than one.
“I can’t stop replaying it all in my mind,” I started. “From when I left the cabin to when you showed up at his. I’m screaming at myself to go back inside when I remember leaving here, to not disobey you, but nothing stops me. I still go exploring, and I still run into Rico. Why didn’t I listen to you, Tag?” I asked as I punched my pillow over and over with my balled up fist.
His hand shot out and held onto my wrist, stopping me from punching. He didn’t let go as he waited for me to look at him. His touch was strong, but gentle. I knew now more than ever that I was safe with him.
“You listen to me,” he said, his tone constricted. “We can’t change yesterday, querida. We can only change tomorrow. What happened is something we won’t forget, but we can become stronger from it. But you need to remember one thing over everything else—it is not your fault.”
A nerve in his jaw ticked as he spoke, showing me just how angry he really was. My heart jumped a beat, realizing he was doing his best to stay calm, for me. He was putting my needs over his.
“Did you find out where he is?”
I couldn’t resist asking. I had to know where he was for my sanity. If he was still on the yacht, it was too close.
He turned away, not looking at me. His hand ran over his head—and he emitted a sigh. He knew.
“Tell me,” I whispered.
He put his elbows on his knees, his forehead resting in his hands. “He’s in the infirmary.”
The what? “What’s that?”
He stayed still. “It’s the medical quarters of the yacht. He’s in a coma… I put him in a coma.”
Shock ran through me. Little bits of memory came back of Tag beating him up, but a coma? Holy shit.
“Is he going to live?”
He lifted his chin and looked over at me. “They don’t know yet. I hope not. I wish I would’ve killed him then and there.”
Hearing him say those words sent chills down my body. I wasn’t used to hearing things like that, to living things like this. But I understood why he said it, and a part of me found I agreed.
“Is it horrible of me to say a part of me agrees?”
A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. He started to reach a hand toward me, then pulled it back to his side. “No, querida, it’s not.”
“He’s a monster. Anyone like him is a monster,” I whispered. “I am such a fool.”
I put my hand up when Tag started to speak, silencing him.
“I know what you’ve told me, but you can’t change how I feel. Logically I know what he did wasn’t my fault, but the fact is, if I’d just stayed here, it wouldn’t have happened.”
He let out a huge sigh and shifted on the bed. “Maybe, maybe not, Penny. It may not have happened yesterday, but who’s to say he wouldn’t have found another way to find you?”
My eyes grew wide hearing that. “But… But you always said I was safe with you. What do you mean?”
His eyes grew a little darker. “You are safe with me, Penny, when I’m with you. But, who’s to say he wouldn’t have found some way to get to you when I wasn’t around? The fact is, he was more determined to get you than any of us realized. I knew he was obsessed with you, but I still believed Roman had a hold over him and that he wouldn’t go as far as he did. I’m the fool for believing that. If anyone is to blame besides Rico, it’s me.”
I shook my head. “No, no you’re not. How can you think that? You didn’t do anything other than your job, what you were told to do. You protected me and told me to stay in here when you were gone. I didn’t listen and…I paid for it.”
I heard him utter some profanities, making me wince. He must have seen because he swore again and clenched his fists. “I honestly wish Roman had a therapist on board here. Going through what you did, Penny, it would be good to have someone trained to talk to. I’m not good at this stuff. I feel like whatever I say isn’t the right thing. You made a mistake leaving the cabin, yes, but once again, what Rico did wasn’t your fault, in any way. It’s his, one hundred percent. You will hopefully see that one day because it’s the absolute truth.”
“I wish Roman wouldn’t have taken me in the first place,” I responded, anger surging through me. I was an innocent pawn in some insane game he was playing, and it was complete bullshit. How in the hell was I going to help him win this sadistic game?
“What are you thinking?” Tag asked, breaking through my thoughts. “Your eyes suddenly got very cold and angry.”
I turned away and started twisting my hair around my finger furiously. “Just that I was taken for Roman’s selfish reasons. He has no concern for me and my life. It still astounds me he took me for some retaliation, whatever that means. If he wouldn’t have kidnapped me, I never would have been attacked, Tag. This actually is all Roman’s fault, that bastard.”
“You’re right.”
My eyes shot to his, not expecting that. “I am?”
“Yes, Penny. Roman is to blame in all of this, but Rico is too, no question. If Roman hadn’t taken you in his stupid game, you never would’ve been around Rico. It’s a sick and twisted game, and I’m sorry, querida.”
His face had turned completely vulnerable and tender. I couldn’t resist asking what had been bothering me since I’d been on the stupid boat. “Why do you work for him, Tag?”
I saw his Adam’s apple bulge out as he swallowed, making me instantly regret asking. It didn’t matter anyway. It wasn’t my business. I’d be wise to remember he was one of them, one of Roman’s men. He worked for the man who stole my life from me.
“It’s complicated,” he answered.
“That’s all right, you don’t have to answer me.”
“It’s not that, Penny, it’s just—“
I stood up and walked toward the bathroom, suddenly needing space. “Seriously, forget I asked. Excuse me.” I closed the bathroom door and leaned against the tiny counter, rubbing my eyes.
It made no sense that he was one of them. He had so much good inside; I felt it more and more the more I was around him. How did he get mixed up in a drug cartel, and why was he still there? He had so much to offer. He needed to escape and start over.
But I’d never tell him. It wasn’t my problem.
Then why did I care, more than I was willing to admit?
I used the bathroom and brushed my teeth, knowing I couldn’t hide out much longer. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and walked out, stopping mid-step when I saw him.
He was laid out on my bed, hands over his chest and his eyes closed. His breathing wasn’t deep and even so I knew he wasn’t asleep, but when he didn’t open his eyes, I took advantage and stared. I had been enamored with his looks from the first time I saw him, and that hadn’t changed, even after what Rico did.
His eyelashes were long, dark, and thick, and his lips were full and strong. I hadn’t kissed him, but I just knew they were. His jaw had more stubble than usual, adding to his already striking look. He hadn’t shaved his head in a little while either by the growth of dark hair coming in, and I found I liked that look better. Maybe he would stop shaving it.
Out of nowhere, the memory of Rico slamming me onto my back on the bed hit, and I gave a low wail, slipping down to my knees on the floor. His hands were rough against my skin, groping and twisting my breasts, his sour breath in my face. I cried out for him to stop, but he wouldn’t.
Strong arms came around me, making me bang my fists as hard as I could against the chest in front of me. “NOOOO!” I screamed so loud it stung my throat.
“Penny! It’s me, it’s Tag. Rico isn’t here. You’re safe.”
The arms didn’t move from their hold on me. In fact, they only got tighter, pulling me against the chest. His words started to sink in, and I pulled my head back, looking to make sure it wasn’t Rico attacking me. When I saw Tag’s face, I collapsed against him and cried harder than I ever had in my life.
He sunk to the floor with me, spreading his legs open and pulling me between them, nestling my head against his chest. He seemed to gently rock me back and forth, my swollen cheek feeling the movement against the soft cotton of his T-shirt. All of my strength had left me; I was too tired to move. My tears were soaking his shirt, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was staying put, in his arms, and letting out my anguish.
Chapter 11
It was a few weeks after the attack, and while the bruises on her face were practically healed, my anger wasn’t anywhere near. I had injured Rico beyond Roman’s medical team’s ability on the yacht, so he had to be sent to the nearest hospital, with a made-up tale that he’d been attacked in a dark alley. I told Roman the truth should be known, that he was beaten to near death for attacking a woman, but Roman vehemently opposed. He said he didn’t want any law enforcement involved, that this was how it was to be.
Of course, I didn’t argue.
That wasn’t to say I didn’t hold Roman partly responsible either. Penny hit the nail on the head when she said he was. If he’d only come to me with his plan about Penny before kidnapping her, I could have saved her from the anguish and torture she’d been subjected to the past two months. Maybe Roman would listen to me better now that Rico wasn’t available.
I prayed he’d be permanently unavailable.
“Tag?”
I looked over to the girl next to me on the lounge chair on the upper deck of the yacht. Ever since the attack, Roman had been very accommodating to her, letting her go outside whenever she wanted and allowing her to have a television and Netflix, just nothing that would clue her in to the outside world. Of course, she never went anywhere without me, which I was grateful for. There were still quite a few men on the boat, but luckily none as slimy and evil as Rico.
“What’s up?” I asked her.
“I can’t reach the middle of my back. Would you mind rubbing some sunscreen there?” Her eyes lowered demurely as though she was embarrassed to ask. She was so damn cute; I loved how shy she still could be. We had grown closer the past few weeks. The attack had really made her see how much danger she was in, which in turn made her trust me more. So while I seethed at what happened to her, I was grateful she trusted me.
Smiling at her, I held my hand out for her to give me the bottle. “No problem.”
She handed me the bottle and settled on her stomach. The sun was beating down on us, so I was glad she’d asked me to help. I moved over to sit on the edge of her chair and poured some of the freezing cold lotion on my hands. I was about to rub it on her back when a thought hit me.
Grinning a huge grin she couldn’t see since she was on her stomach, I lifted the sunblock bottle and pointed it to her back. Not thinking twice, I squeezed it so a large amount of the lotion hit her square on her back, making her jolt up and scream.
“AAAAAHHHHHHH!” she cried, turning around to face me. “Why did you do that?”
I couldn’t stop the deep laughter from escaping my throat. The look of utter shock on her face was priceless. I dropped the bottle on the ground and leaned over, unable to stop laughing.
I felt her shift on the chair and looked up, laughing even harder at the annoyed look on her face. She folded her arms across her chest and pouted. It was adorable.
“Hey, now,” I said between laughs. “You really can’t blame me here. I mean, your back was begging for it, just being there right in front of me, waiting for the lotion. I couldn’t resist.”
Her pout got more pronounced, which made me stop laughing. She was actually pissed, which I thought was ridiculous. “Penny,” I started, but she held up a hand, stopping me.
“Oh, I blame you,” she said, her eyes still annoyed. “All I asked you to do was to rub some sunscreen on me so I don’t burn, and you squirted it all over when you knew darn well it’s freezing cold. That’s very childish, Tag.”
I sat there looking at her, having no idea what to say. Wow, this girl was more serious than I thought. Shaking my head, I stood up and went back to my own lounge chair, grumbling a half attempt at an apology and picking my book back up.
I was readjusting my sunglasses on my nose when ice-cold liquid hit my back, making me jump up and howl. Penny’s laughter filled my ears, and when I looked over at her, she was the one bent over in laughter. Not even thinking, I lunged for her, making her shriek out in surprise. I grabbed her around her waist and plopped down on her chair, holding her on my lap and tickling her ribs.
She howled out in laughter, begging me to stop, which of course only made me do it harder. She squirmed in my arms, only getting as far as off my lap and on her back on the chair, which actually gave me better access. I took advantage and really tickled her hard, making her cry out.
“Stop, stop,” she begged, tears running down her cheeks. The smile and look of completely having fun were the only indication she wasn’t upset. I eased up on my tickle torture, leaning my forehead against hers.
“Truce?” I asked, unable to hide the huge grin on my face.
Her hazel eyes were bright with her tears of laughter but darkened quickly with my face so close to hers. I knew I affected her, no matter how much I didn’t want to. She was just an assignment for me, a job. We didn’t speak of anything more.
But there was something more.
There was something more the minute I saw her, no matter how hard I tried to deny it. Her innocence, her beauty, and her sparks of attitude weren’t something I was used to in a woman, and I was intrigued beyond words. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could restrain myself.
“Truce,” I heard her say softly, bringing me out of my thoughts. I focused back on her, and when I saw the tip of her pink tongue pop out and run across the seam of her lips, I literally groaned and felt myself grow hard.
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